Chesapeake & Ohio or know as Western Maryland Scenic Railroad No. 1309, nicknamed "Maryland Thunder," is a powerful H-6 class 2-6-6-2 Mallet-type articulated steam locomotive built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia in 1949. Originally constructed for the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway(C&O), it was designed to haul heavy freight over the steep grades of the Appalachian Mountains.
No. 1309 holds historical significance as the last steam locomotive built by Baldwin for use in the United States. Despite its modern design, which included features like roller bearings and a cast steel frame, its revenue service was short-lived due to the rapid rise of diesel locomotives. After retirement, the locomotive was preserved and placed on static display at the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore, Maryland.
In 2014, the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad (WMSR) acquired No. 1309 with the goal of restoring it to operational condition. The restoration became one of the largest and most complex steam locomotive projects in recent history. After years of fundraising, fabrication, and mechanical work, No. 1309 was successfully brought back to life and restored to working order on December 31, 2020.
Following a series of test runs and final adjustments, No. 1309 officially entered excursion service on December 17, 2021, marking its triumphant return to the rails. Now the largest operating steam locomotive in the Eastern United States, No. 1309 hauls scenic passenger trains along the former Western Maryland main line between Cumberland and Frostburg, Maryland—reviving the power and drama of classic steam railroading for a new generation of railfans
History[]
Western Maryland Scenic Railroad No. 1309, originally Chesapeake & Ohio No. 1309, is an H-6 class 2-6-6-2 Mallet-type articulated steam locomotive built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1949. Designed during the twilight of the steam era, No. 1309 was based on the USRA 2-6-6-2 design developed after World War I and refined by the C&O to handle the steep grades of the Appalachian region. It served the C&O for just seven years before being retired in 1956. Its sister engine, No. 1308, was preserved and placed on display in Huntington, West Virginia.
No. 1309 carries the distinction of being the last steam locomotive built by Baldwin for use in the United States, marking the end of a legendary era in American railroading. After retirement, the locomotive sat in a roundhouse for nearly two decades, far longer than it had been in active service. In 1975, it was acquired by the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore, Maryland, for static display.
In 2014, the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad (WMSR) announced that it had acquired No. 1309 with the goal of restoring it to operation. CSX Transportation generously donated the cost of transporting the locomotive to the WMSR’s shops in Ridgeley, West Virginia, where restoration work began. Although initial plans aimed for completion by 2016, restoration was delayed by funding shortages, regulatory hurdles, and technical issues—particularly with the boiler.
Progress slowed even further in February 2018, when several small but essential components were stolen, allegedly by a disgruntled former volunteer. Nevertheless, restoration forged ahead. By mid-2018, No. 1309 had successfully passed its hydraulic and out-of-frame boiler tests, and work on its tender was completed. Though thousands of dollars were still needed, optimism grew.
That hope was realized on December 31, 2020, when No. 1309 moved under its own power for the first time in 65 years. On November 19, 2021, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) gave the green light for No. 1309 to begin operations. After a series of test runs in early 2021, it made its official excursion debut on December 17, 2021, pulling WMSR's Polar Express trains.
Now the largest operating steam locomotive in the Eastern U.S., No. 1309 replaced WMSR's sidelined WMSR 734 ("Mountain Thunder") as the railroad’s primary steam engine. The WMSR is actively fundraising for the overhaul of 734, hoping to eventually have both locomotives in service.
In February 2023, No. 1309 was temporarily repainted in its original C&O livery and taken out of service briefly for extensive running gear maintenance until it returned to operation in October 2023. On January 9, 2024, the WMSR launched a dual fundraiser to support further repairs for both 1309 and 734. At the time, 1309 required new pistons and rods, while 734 remained in need of a full overhaul. By May 9, 2025, No. 1309 returned to service with a fresh coat of paint. Today, No. 1309 continues to haul excursions on the WMSR, embodying the grit, history, and power of American steam railroading.
Trivia[]
- The locomotive can be seen on display in the Trains Unlimited: When Giants Roamed VHS / DVD.
- 1309 has appeared under its own power in the videos: Steamin' in 2022, Steaming the Last Baldwin, The Beast Unleashed, Search for Steam-The Best of 2021, Great American Steam Locomotives: Articulateds, Introduction to Steam Locomotives, Great Scenic Railway Journeys-30th Anniversary Special, Big Steam is Back (Under Restoration), Steam Smoke & Thunder Volume 1, & Railroad Video Quarterly Issues 115, 120, & 122.
- During its first runs, it was initially equipped with a Norfolk and Western (N&W) 12-inch hooter whistle, which came from Norfolk and Western class A No. 1208.
- On Father's Day weekend of 2022, No. 1309 was re-equipped with a Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) 3-chime whistle, which came from a PRR class T1 4-4-4-4 locomotive. Afterwards, it was reverted back to the N&W hooter whistle, before swapping out for a New York Central Nathan 6-chime in late August.
- On October 14, 2022, No. 1309 pulled a special fundraiser train to benefit the restoration of Pennsylvania Railroad K4 class No. 1361. For that event, it was fitted with No. 1361's PRR 3-chime whistle. Afterwards, it was reverted back to the New York Central Nathan 6-chime. Later that year, on December 21, it was re-equipped with a Southern Railway long-bell 3-chime steamboat whistle from a Southern Ts-class 4-8-2.
- In May 2025, No. 1309 was equipped with a long-bell Hancock 3-chime whistle—the same type used by No. 734. Just a few weeks later, on July 4, it was fitted with a newly built Baltimore & Ohio 6-chime whistle, crafted by Rizzoli Locomotive Works.
- In late July 2025, No. 1309 was re-equipped with a Grand Trunk Western 6-chime whistle. In September 2025, it was reverted back to the long-bell Hancock 3-chime whistle.
- On October 19, 2025, No. 1309 had been given back the N&W 12-inch hooter whistle.